A Second Chance At A Different Life
by Grining Prey
Summary: “You are the first to ever be offered a second chance, Naruto. Will you take it?” He of course already knew, he knew everything. So that is why Naruto, with nothing holding him back, took Kami’s hand without answering.
1. The End of One The Beginning of Another

"You are the first to ever be offered a second chance, Naruto. Will you take it?" He of course already knew, he knew everything. So that is why Naruto, with nothing holding him back, took Kami's hand without answering.

**A Second Chance At A Different Life**

**The End of One  
****The Beginning of Another**

A figure looked out onto a burnt and bloodied battle field. Dressed in the royal robes of the Hokage his eye, the other one being covered by bandages, swept across the field searching for survivors; There where none. Naruto sighed, whishing that his team had told him of the last ditch attempt for victory, maybe then he could have died along with them. Sensing a presence approaching Naruto sighed again, "Hello Sasuke."

"Naruto," He spoke as if he was greeting a friend instead of the last obstacle standing in between him and his revenge. "Last time we meet we where allies."

"I remember, I lost my eye that day, though I suppose it wasn't a complete lose," He said as he felt the bandage that covered his left eye. "Can you still see out of your eye?"

"No I lost my vision in my right eye years ago."

"Doesn't matter, I suppose, you'll have Itachi's other eye soon enough," Naruto told him as he ripped off the bandage revealing a Sharingan of his own.

"I gave that to you as a gift Naruto. I won't take it back." Drawing his blade Sasuke looked at Naruto, "I would ask you to join me, but I already know your answer." Looking at Naruto Sasuke knew that there wouldn't be a fight, "I'm sorry Naruto."

* * *

Naruto was floating, bathed in a golden light. He sighed in contempt as he felt his earthly binds fall, and for the fist time in years he felt young. He had been floating for what seemed like ages before he finally stopped in front of a figure. He was an old man whose face was completely hidden by a white robe with gold trimming. "Welcome Namikaze Uzumaki Naruto."

"Thank you. Is this your realm?" Naruto asked him.

He chuckled before answering, "Of course child." Though Naruto couldn't see his face he could feel a light smile on the mans face. "I've been watching you Naruto, like I do all my children, but there was something about you that interested me."

"Oh," Naruto looked surprised. "What was it?"

The elderly man chuckled, "That's a topic for another day. But for now I have some important businesses to discuss with you, Namikaze Uzumaki Naruto. What would you think of a 'second chance.'"

Naruto stared at him for a moment before stuttering out, "You mean you'd reverse time and send me back to fix everything?"

The old man chuckled before answering, "I'm afraid that once something has happened time cannot simply be 'reversed.'" Naruto deflated a little, " However I am willing to send you to an alternate universe."

"Alternate?" Naruto asked.

"Yes." Waving his hand the man made an image appear. Seeing it Naruto couldn't help but to think that the boy, who was lying in a hospital bed sleeping, in the image looked a lot like he did when he was younger. Of course there where some obvious differences; this boy's hair was red and looked a little less wild, his eyes where grey, his skin looked pale-unhealthy almost,-and he looked far to skinny. "This is Namikaze Uzumaki Naruto from Universe 382142.**(1) **As you can see he doesn't appear to be doing to well; Yes not doing to well at all. His body is much weaker than your's was and it hasn't reacted well to having the Kyuubi's chakra living inside of it. I'm afraid that at three years old, he won't live past tonight."

Walking up to the image Naruto went to touch it only for it to ripple like water causing him to draw his hand away. When the water had finally become stagnant again it revealed a new image, this time of a young woman possibly no older than twenty with long red hair tied up into a ponytail. She wore a jounin's vest over a light black-sleeved orange jacket with matching orange pants and the traditional shinobi sandals, only black. Her eyes where red and tears streaked across her cheeks. "This is Uzumaki Kushina, your mother," The man voice rang out. "In this universe she survived your birth."

"What will happen to this Naruto's soul if I take your offer?"

The man chuckled, "Whether you take my offer or not his soul will take its place by my side."

After a long silence the man spoke, "You are the first to ever be offered a second chance, Naruto. Will you take it?" He of course already knew, he knew everything. So that is why Naruto, with nothing holding him back, took Kami's hand without answering.

"Once you take his place there will be no turning back. When you wake you will have all his memories and experiences along with your own; all of them." Kami ad emphases to the last part before everything was bathed in a golden light.

* * *

A constant beeping sound brought Naruto out of his slumber, he was in the hospital. Sitting up Naruto began to remove several of the medical devices attached to his body, causing the heart monitor to flat line waking the other person who was in the room. "Naruto?!" Hearing someone leap to their feet, Naruto turned to see a red haired woman standing over him, only for her to crumple to her knees and embrace Naruto. "You're alive!" She cried in between sobs.

Feeling a more childish side of him take over Naruto began to cry as well. "I'm sorry for scaring you Kaasan," He told her as he let himself be surrounded by his mothers warmth.

A blond haired woman busted into the room, being alerted by the heart monitor. "Kushina, what happened?!"

"Tsunade-obaachan! Naruto he's alright, he's alive!" Kushina cried as she continued to hold onto Naruto.

After everything had calmed down Tsunade had convinced Kushina to let her give Naruto a sedative before she began to perform a medical examination. "I-I don't believe it," Tsunade said after she had finished the test.

"What is it?" Kushina asked, curiously.

"There's no sign of chakra poisoning, none. There isn't even a sign that he HAD chakra poisoning!" Tsunade looked over the charts again, "This is either medical miracle, or an intervention by Kami."

"So," Kushina spoke up. "Is Naruto ok? Can I take him home?"

"I want to run a few more test before you take him home, but yes he's ok." Noticing the bags under Kushina's eyes Tsunade chuckled, "Why don't you go home and rest? I'll call you when Naruto wakes up."

"No," Kushina shook her head furiously. "I want to be here when he wakes up."

Tsunade shook her head disapprovingly, "Guess I should've known better." She joked with herself as she began to examine Naruto.

* * *

"Remember nothing solid, just soup! Preferably something other than ramen!" Tsunade cried after the retreating form of Kushina cradling Naruto on her hip.

"Ramen?!" Naruto perked up and looked at Kushina, he hadn't had Ramen since…well he couldn't remember exactly but it had been a long time ago. "Well…" Kushina looked into her sons pleading eyes and then back to the spot where Tsunade had been standing. "I guess it wouldn't hurt."

"Yahoo!" Naruto shouted as they made their way to Ichiraku's.

When ordering Kushina had been surprised when Naruto exclaimed that he wanted an entire bowl to himself. Normally he just nibbled on what Kushina had ordered for herself, but not only did he order his own bowl; he finished it too. "You sure are hungry Naru-chan," Kushina told him as he asked for a second bowl.

"I'm just really hungry today Kaasan!" Naruto dug into his second bowl as Kushina had finished hers. _'I guess he really is better,' _Kushina thought. _'I don't think Naruto has ever eaten this much in his entire life, let alone in one sitting.' _From breast feeding, to bottles to ordinary everyday food, Naruto had never wanted any of it. Kushina had always had to force him to eat. But now it seemed like Kushina would have to be him to stop, and she wouldn't have preferred it any other way. '_Although,' _Kushina's eyebrow twitched as Naruto slurped his noodles noisily. _'His table manners defiantly need work.' _

* * *

Kushina carried a groggy Naruto into their house. It was nothing special, Minato had said that it had a homey feeling. It was big enough for a family of five, even though the only ones occupying it where Kushina and Naruto. Flipping on a few lights Kushina carried Naruto into his room where she proceeded to get him ready for bed, the three year old to tired to do it himself. Finally when his teeth had been brush and he was in his pajamas, Kushina tucked him into bed. "Good night Naru-chan," She told him as she kissed his forehead.

"'Night Kaasan," Naruto yawned tiredly as he snuggled closer into his blankets. As the lights in his room turned off Naruto began to drift into sleep, forgetting everything that had happened today. For now he was a three year old with two pairs of memory. And tonight he would dream of an old man and his magic spells.

* * *

"_Rasengan,_" Naruto mumbled lightly as the sun began to creep through his blinds. He laid tangled in his sheets when the sun finally reached his face. Sitting up from his bed Naruto began to stretch lazily, "Man that was a weird dream." He told himself as he thought about the war he had been fighting in his dream. "Man I was so cool!" Naruto thought back to the part when he stood on top of a giant toad, battling an equally giant snake. But that caused Naruto to think of something else, in his dream so many people had died causing him to feel great grief and a sense of hopelessness.

Some of the faces he saw in the dream felt important somehow, but their features had been blurred and unrecognizable since Naruto had woken up. Finally giving up on trying to recall their faces Naruto began to get out of bed when someone knocked on his door. "Naru-chan, there is someone here to see you," Opening the door Kushina reveled a young Kakashi standing behind her.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto cried with delight.

"Sensei?" Kakashi questioned, "What happened to ojisan?"

Naruto shrugged his shoulders, "I dunna know, it just felt right."

Kakashi sweat dropped at the childish behavior, _'He gets more like Kushina every day.' _Shaking his head Kakashi walked over to Naruto. Ruffling his hair Kakashi squatted down to the red head's level, "Well I just wanted to stop by and say congratulations on getting better before I leave for my next mission."

"Thanks Kakas-" Naruto was interrupted by a fit of coughs that erupted from his throat. He suddenly felt weak and his body felt feverish.

_Hmmm... how do I put this? My first impression of this group... You're a bunch of idiots. _His head was spinning.

_Don't look away... When you live like a shinobi, this is how it ends. _This didn't make sense, what was this.

_Because you're the only shinobi in the world who can surpass the Fourth. That's what I believe. _His three year old mind tried to grasp the meaning of the voice's but all he got was a blank before everything faded into black.

"Naruto!" Kakashi cried as he caught the falling child. "Kushina Naruto needs the hospital!"

* * *

"From what we can tell this was a fluke, an accident. It probably won't happen again." Kushina stopped running her fingers through Naruto's hair as she looked up at Tsunade, "Probably?" She questioned with a slight bit of anger in her voice

Tsunade rubbed her brow as she shifted through the medical chart. "So," Kushina piqued up. "What you mean to say is that you don't know what caused this?!"

"Kushina, keep your voice down," Instantly the twenty year old was reminded that she was in the presence of one of the legendary Sanin and not just some run of the mill doctor, "I'm sorry Tsunade-sama." Kushina whispered as she went back to running her fingers through Naruto's hair. Tsunade felt like slapping herself after she looked at how betrayed the young woman in front of her looked. "I'm sorry Kushina," She sighed, "This hasn't been the easiest day for either of us you know?"

Kushina looked up, "Jiraiya running around with other woman again while leaving Ren at home?"

"Worse," Tsunade grinded her teeth. "Now he thinks that play the part of the 'Good Father,'" She mocked his saying by using finger quotation marks. "Will attract the ladies."

Kushina smiled lightly as she thought about the little blonde haired girl. She had her mother's hair and looks, but if you were to take away the fact that Jiraiya was a "Super-pervert" than she is his carbon copy personality wise. "Well I'm sure Ren is just happy to spend time with Jiraiya."

"I suppose," Tsunade smiled. "Well everything should be fine so Naruto is free to leave. But Kushina please promise me no more visits, I'm not sure that I can stand anymore surprises," Tsunade chuckled.

"Hai Tsunade Obaachan," Kushina gave her a large smile before picking up Naruto and leaving the hospital.

* * *

"_Ung," Naruto moaned, he was laying face down in a dark flooded hallway. Standing up he looked around trying to find something that would help him find out where he was, but all he could see was the darkness. "Hello?" The three year old called weakly out into the shadows. "I-is anyone there?!" No answer came however. _

_Feeling helpless and alone Naruto fell down, and drew his knees close to his body. "I -hiccup- don't like the dark!" He began to cry, "I want my -hiccup- Kaasan!"_

"_Don't worry Naruto its not dark anymore," A calm and strong voice called out to the three year old. _

_Lifting up his head Naruto looked around with red and puffy eyes, the room had been bathed in a warm white light. Looking around the room Naruto found a who the voice had belonged to but their features where hidden because of the bright light. Squinting his eyes Naruto called out to the figure, "W-whose there?" _

_Chuckling the figure ignored Naruto's question, "Don't worry, everything will make sense someday. But until that time take some of my knowledge and use it to defend yourself should the need ever arise. Don't show it to anybody, not even your Kaasan, unless there is no other way." _

"_B-but how will I know when to use it?" Naruto cried out as everything became blurry. _

"_Don't worry," The voice told him in a whisper, "You'll know." _

* * *

Naruto began to come back to his sense's as he noticed that it was bouncy. "Ugh I think I'm gonna be sick," he said as he watched buildings speed by and colors blur.

"Naruto!" Kushina cried as she came to a dead stop almost immediately. "Thank goodness your alright," She cried as she viciously hugged him.

"Course I'm alright Kaasan," Naruto told her as he slightly struggled against the death hug.

She chuckled as she held him out at arms length, "Just don't scare me like that anymore. I'm to young to have grey's."

"Okay," Naruto murmured as Kushina took off again, this time at a slower pace.

* * *

Mysterious Figure - He resides inside of Naruto's mind. And either if it's to help or to hurt his intentions are clear; to make Naruto strong.

Ren - Meaning: Water Lilly - Ren is Jiraiya's and Tsunade's five year old daughter. She has her mother's hair and looks, but if you were to take away the fact that Jiraiya was a "Super-pervert" than she is his carbon copy personality wise.

382142 - roughly translates to 382 - 10 - 42. Chapter 382 page 10 volume 42 is when Kushina made her first appearance.

Hmm well what can I say? I just had the itch to do a time travel fic. Please reveiw and check out 44-dd's page.

Forever Grinning till the end,  
This is Grining Prey signing out.

And yes for those of you who are more perceptive I updated my sig!


	2. Done

Alright I'm done.

Serious lack of enthusiasm, and a case of "who gives a fuck?" Has left me wondering, why? Why did I become an Author? Was it because I enjoyed writing? Was it because I thought it would be fun? Maybe I just wanted to get all these ideas out of my head and onto some paper, and when I heard about fan fiction I thought, what a great idea. But for fucks sake I can tell you right fucking now that I didn't become an Author so some nameless bitch, who doesn't even have the balls to give me a way to reply, could sprout some nonsense shit about my stories. But its not just the flamers, it's the complete and total dead end I've hit with all of my stories. I've been forcing the chapters for a while now and I just can't keep this up.

I'm tired, tired of this shit. So I would really like to apologies to anyone who actually liked my stories. I'm sorry, not that I'm quitting, but because I let the flamers get to me and because I let you guys down. So I propose this to anyone who reads this notice; take a story, any story, and make it into what you thought it should've been or try and continue the story the way you thought it would go. Its my final gift to anyone who wants it. If any of you take my offer please PM me, I'll supply you with my story plots and some of the future chapters I had already typed out, and I would really love to see your take on a story.

May not sound very manly, and I know it will be bait for the flamers, but I can actually see the tears clouding my vision. Its painful, actually more painful that I thought it would be. It actually feels like a friend, a close friend passed away, and I'm mourning his death. But I guess its painful to do what must be done. If you had a dead arm attached to your shoulder what would you do? Would you grit your teeth and cut it off? Or would you bear with it, and let it poison the rest of your body?

When I had fist started I remember making a promise to all of my readers that I would never abandon my stories, but I guess that's a promise I just can't keep. And maybe this is just a case of the "woe is me's" Maybe in a week or a month I'll come crawling looking to reattach my "dead arm." But I doubt it.

Ha how ironic, even as I write my own 'resignation,' I can't help but to think that some of the stuff I've said would've made a great quote for one of my stories.

Heh just read a positive review for my last chapter, makes this even harder to say but, I think most of you know what's coming.

For the last time ever,

Forever Grining 'til The End  
This Is Grining Prey Signing out.

_When people share experiences together, and then they must part, there is a feeling of sadness. Saying goodbye to people that we feel connected to is an occasion of somber reflection. It is hard to imagine our lives without them, and yet we have no choice but to go on. It is comforting to know that for however long you will be separated that you will always be in each other's hearts. It is also an opportunity to be more present to others in your life and to look for opportunities to form new friendships. _


End file.
